My site visit was pretty uneventful.  As you already know by now I am going to be stationed in the same city that is the hub for our 11 week training.  We have been going into the city since the first day we were here so all of my group knows it pretty well.  I was hoping that by spending time with people who live there I would learn some hidden gems of the city, some things the Americans had not found but unfortunately it was not to be.  I asked just about everyone I met what there is to do in the city for fun and they all told me the same thing “Go to Yerevan”.  So by Peace Corps Policy I can go to Yerevan, which is only 30 kilometers away but I have to be back by midnight or it is considered an “Overnight” stay and we are only allowed 2 of those a month.  This wouldn’t be a really big issue for me except for the lack of privacy that a PCT/PCV has.  You live with a family for the first 7 months you are in the country.  The families are great but everyone feels the need to take care of you.  For some reason everyone thinks I need to eat more and they keep trying to feed me 5 times a day and when I do eat they try to get me to eat more than I want.  Now I know this is hospitality and I respect that but after several weeks of it it really does get annoying.  I have told my host family several times that I am not hungry and now I will let them put food on my place and just stop eating when I am full.  It bothers me to leave food just sitting there but it is the way to do it and keep them happy.  The other lack of privacy thing is that it is common to have windows in the bedroom doors in Armenia.  I have them in both my host houses and my friends all seem to have them as well.  They are usually etched glass so you can’t really see in but you can see movement through them and the lights from the halls will shine in brightly.

I guess it boils down to the fact that after living on your own for a while and by your own rules it is had to live with other people and other rules. 

Now let me tell you about my new assignment.  When Peace Corps Training is over and I get sworn in and more to my new site I will be working with an NGO (Non Government Organization) called The Resource Center.  It is a small NGO consisting of several volunteers and a couple of staff.  It is attached to a Kindergarten with 230 kids ranging in ages from 1 to 6.  While not really part of the kindergarten it has the same director and shares space in the same building.  I am learning about the projects which they have going, at the moment there is only one active but they have another in the late approval and funding process and two others in the early stages or application and funding requests.  My counterpart, who is also my host brother, is also teaching a computer class to some volunteers from the City and surrounding villages.  I sat in on the first class and understood most of what he said.  Bit, Byte, Kilobyte, etc are all the same.  I am looking forward to attending some more sessions and eventually teaching my own class in web design.  That should get interesting. 

My Armenian is coming along OK.  I wish I were faster with the language but it is not to be.  I am definitely going to be getting a tutor as soon as classes are over so I can continue my learning.  I think that speaking it everyday will also go a long way in making me more comfortable with it. 

I am coming home for Christmas.  I booked a flight (waiting for confirmation) and will be home for a very short 10 days in December.  

Not much else to say right now.  I hope everyone is doing well.  Miss you all

Brian


The 3 in the middle are my host family (Minus the kids) everyone else is extended family



Water Fight from Jur Or


The Church at Echmiatsen (spelling)


Inside the church



Inside the church in our Village